This rockstar eggplant-tomato sauce will rock your next pasta night. It’s crucial that you read the directions and NOT SKIP the drawing out of the bitter juices in eggplant step. (As us how we know!) It’s worth letting it sit in the sink for the time recommended, and you can use that time to accomplish other tasks in the kitchen. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Single Meal

1 - medium eggplant(s)

1 - tsp salt

1 - Tbsp olive oil

1 - small white onion(s)

2 - tsp minced garlic

1 - 28 oz. can(s) crushed tomatoes

2 - Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 - tsp white sugar

- Salt and pepper

16 - oz. penne pasta noodles**

Garnish: - shredded Parmesan cheese**

Side: - salad**

1 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

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Cooking Directions for Single Meal

Chop the eggplant into 1/4-inch pieces, and place into strainer or colander. Sprinkle the salt directly onto the eggplant flesh, to draw out the bitter juices, and let sit in the sink for 30 minutes. Then, rinse the juices off with cool water.

Chop the small white onion.

Open and drain the can of crushed tomatoes.

Cook the penne pasta, as directed. Drain well.

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the eggplant, chopped onion and minced garlic for 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, pour in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and sugar. Let simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often, to allow flavors to mingle and marry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the sauce is cooked through, toss with the cooked and drained pasta. Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Prepare the salad.

Serve Penne with Tomato-Eggplant Sauce with side salad.

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Chop 2 small white onions.

Chop 2 eggplants into 1/4-inch pieces, and place into strainer or colander. Sprinkle the salt directly onto the eggplant flesh, to draw out the bitter juices, and let sit in the sink for 30 minutes. Then, rinse the juices off with cool water.

Open and drain 2 cans of crushed tomatoes.

To each gallon-size plastic freezer baggie, add the following ingredients:

Half of the prepared eggplant

Half of the chopped white onion

2 tsp minced garlic

1 - 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp white sugar

Remove as much air as possible and seal. Add label to baggie and freeze.

Freeze & Thaw Instructions

Put baggie in the freezer and freeze up to 6 months in fridge freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or a warm bowl of water for about 20 minutes, before transferring all of the contents of the baggie into large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to bubbling and cook for 20 minutes, then tossing with the pasta as directed.

Dairy-Free Modifications

Recipe is dairy-free when the shredded Parmesan cheese garnish is omitted.

Gluten-Free Modifications

Recipe is gluten-free when prepared with small shell gluten-free pasta.

Printable Label Recipe Title

Penne with Tomato-Eggplant Sauce

Printable Label Instructions

Thaw and add contents of baggie to large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to bubbling and cook for 20 minutes. Toss with penne pasta.
Serve with salad.